Seaming machine



June 8, 1937. H. M. ROSS 2,083,4Q1

SEAMING MACHINE Filed Dec. 7, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 8,1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFKZE.

SEAMING MACHINE Hugh M. Ross, Woodhaven, N. Y. Application December 7,1935, Serial No. 53,282

2 Claims.

This invention relates to seaming machines and more especially tomachines for seaming the ends or heads of non-circular cans to the sidesor bodies thereof. In previous seaming machines of this type, it hasoften been the case that in the seaming of cans long and narrow inhorizontal cross-section, the seam was not tightly closed at certainpoints.

An object of this invention is a seaming machine which is effective toproduce a tight seam and is provided with easily operated means foradjusting the seaming mechanism without interfering with the accuracy ofoperation thereof.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention willbecome apparent from the following specification and accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a seaming machine embodying theinvention, the section being taken substantially on the line ll of Fig.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the support for the seaming tool;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig.3;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the seaming tool carrier.

The can or other article to be operated upon is supported upon asuitable table or base (not shown). The head of the machine includes amember ID which has a chuck portion II to hold the can body and endassembly while being operated upon. The member I9 is carried by a studl2 forming a fixed or stationary part of the machine. and stud I2 is adisk or head member M which is driven by a ring and bevel gearcombination I3. At spaced points around the member M are arranged setsof devices for controlling the seaming tools and as such devices areidentical except for the tools per se, only one of these devices will bedescribed. A lever I5 is arranged on the underside of the rotatablemember l4 and is pivotally supported from that member by the verticalstud [5 which passes into the member.l4 and is secured in place by a nutIT. The free end of the lever I5 carries a roller I9 which runs in a camgroove 20 in the bottom of the member ID. This groove is made to conformto the out-' line of the can so that when the disk or movable headmember [4 rotates about the stud l2; the roller follows a pathcoinciding with the outline 55 of the cam. As shown, the outline isrectangu- Rotatably mounted upon the member ID lever l5 and on the studI8 is arranged an eccentric bushing l8a which is held in place by a Inut 21. A second lever 22 is rotatably supported by the bushing I8a. Onthe under face of the lever 15' adjacent the roller I9 is slidinglymounted a carrier 23 in one end of which is rotatably supported theseaming tool 24- which is shown as in the form of a narrow rollerrotatable about a vertical axis. The carrier 23 is mounted forrectilinear movement in such manner that at one end of its stroke theseaming tool 24 is in axial alinement with the roller I9. In the carrier23 is provided a transverse slot 23a in which is received one end of thelever 22 by which reciprocatory movement is imparted to the carrier 23.

The other end of the lever 22 carries a thrust roller 25 which engages abearing block 26 carried by the lower arm 27 of a lever which has avertical pivot portion 28 extending through the rotatable head member l4and which has a lever arm 29 secured to its upper end. The arm 29carries a follower roller 30, which is arranged to coact Witha cam 3i.

The various tools 24 are designed and arranged to effect the desiredshaping of the metal to form the seam between the head and body. Forexample, When two of these tools are used, the first may be employed toeffect the first stage of the seaming operation and the second toperform the final seaming operation. During the rotation of the headmember I4, the seaming tools 24, together with the carriers supportingthe same take their general direction of movement from the lever l 5,whereby the tools 24 are caused to move in approximate coincidence withthe contour of the article to be seamed. The actuation of the toolswhereby they are caused to change the shape of the metal is impartedthereto by the'action of the cam 3! on lever 29 and 27, whereby thelevers 22 are shifted upon their pivots so as to move the carriers 23and seaming ment of the seaming tool during each step of the seamingoperation.

By reason of the provision of a seaming tool carrier mounted forrectilinear movement, it is 5 apparent that as the tool Zlis movedinwardly by movement of the lever 22 about its axis during the formationof the same, the tool moves substantially in a straight line extendingfrom the axis of the tool to the vertical axis of the can or otherarticle operated upon. This results in the formation of avery tightseam. Adjustment of the initial position of the seaming tool 24 iseffected by means of the eccentric bushing l8a. This bushing may berotated about the stud I8 to vary the location of the pivotal point ofthe lever22 and thus move inwardly or outwardly the end of the leverwhich engages the carrier 23. The adjustment of the tool cantbe madeonly along a straight line as the carrier 23 is capable.

only of rectilinear movement.

I claim:

1. In a seaming machine, a rotatable head, a

lever pivotally mounted on said head, a guideway on said lever, acarrier mounted in said guideway 25 for, rectilinear movement, a seamingtool-sup ported by said carrier, means for swinging said lever to guidesaid seaming tool in approximate coincidence with the contour of saidarticle, a. second lever pivoted to said first lever for pivotalmovement about an axis intermediateits ends and having one end engaginga portion of said carrier for causing rectilinear movement thereof uponpivotal movement of said second lever, and means for actuating saidsecond lever.

2. In a seaming machine, a rotatable head, a lever pivotally mounted onsaid head, a guideway on said lever, a carrier mountedin said guidewayfor rectilinear movement, a seaming tool supported by said carrier,means for swinging said cam and the other end engaging the remaining endof said second lever.

HUGH -M. ROSS.

